Begonia plant

ABSTRACT

A begonia plant known by the cultivar name Harmony having large, double, light orange flowers and dark green foliage; a relatively great number of pistillated flowers; early flowering and floriferous habit; excellent keeping quality; adaptability in a controlled environment to year round flowering and varying pot size; sturdy, upright and compact growth habits, and excellent vigor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofbegonia plant, botanically known as Begonia × hiemalis Fotsch, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Harmony.

The new cultivar was discovered by me as a seedling from a controlledcrossing of a Begonia × tuber hydrida cultivar as the seed parent with aBegonia socotrana cultivar as the pollen parent.

Asexual reproduction by stem and/or leaf cuttings in Ashtabula, Ohio hasconfirmed that the unique characteristics of the new cultivar arereproduced true to form through successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish Harmony from both its parentsand other begonias commercially known and used in the floricultureindustry:

1. Harmony has large, double, light orange flowers, pleasantlycontrasting with the dark green foliage.

2. Harmony exhibits more pistillated flowers than normal in this type ofbegonia, with generally one third of the flowers formed beingpistillated.

3. Harmony is early flowering and floriferous, with a good placement ofthe flowers over the leaf canopy.

4. The keeping quality of the plant and the individual flowers isexcellent both in the greenhouse and in the home.

5. The new cultivar can be flowered year round by proper manipulation ofthe controlled environment.

6. The cultivar can be grown in a 10 cm. pot, or up to 15 cm. pot, againby a properly controlled environment.

7. Harmony has a sturdy, upright growth with a compact growth habit.

8. Overall plant vigor is excellent, with strong stems, good selfsupport, strong petioles and strong peduncles.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the new cultivar, withthe colors being as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in acolored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new begonia cultivar basedon plants produced under commercial practices in the greenhouses ofMikkelsens Inc., Ashtabula, Ohio. Color references are made to the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Parentage:

A controlled cross of Mikkelsen seedling 76-61-18, a Begonia × tuberhybrida, as the seed parent and Mikkelsen seedling 73-60S, a Begoniasocotrana, as the pollen parent.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.--Leaf cuttings.

(B) Time to root.--3 to 4 weeks at temperature of the growing medium of21° C.

(C) Rooting habit.--Fine, fibrous.

(D) Time for shoot development.--10 weeks in summer to 14 weeks inwinter, to obtain shoots of approximately 4-5 cm. in length.

Plant description:

(A) Form.--Compact, close internoded, upright, with good vigor for selfsupport. Growing and scheduling practices can produce a small plant in a10 cm. pot, up to a larger plant in a 15 cm. pot.

(B) Habit of growth.--Rate of growth moderate for this type of begonia.Generally, vegetative shoots are formed at the basal nodes and flowersat the higher nodes.

(C) Foliage.--Leaves simple, alternate, borne on strong petioles, 5 mm.in diameter when fully grown. (1) Size: Varying as to the position onthe plant and the environment; up to 10 × 12 cm. when full grown. (2)Shape: Ovate to nearly round, basal lobes overlapped. (3) Texture:Glabrous, leathery. (4) Margin: Crenate to dentate. (5) Color: youngfoliage top side, green 137B, under side yellow-green 147C, slightlyinfused with red mature foliage top side, green 137C, under sideyellow-green 147C, slightly infused with red. (6) Veination: 7-8 veins.

Flowering description:

(A) Flowering habit.--Flowers in cymes, generally consisting of 2 lowerdouble flowers and 1 pistillated terminal flower; lower flower developsfirst, pistillated flower last; sometimes pistillated flower will notdevelop or drops in an early stage of development.

(B) Natural flowering season.--Throughout the year, plant will flower inan earlier stage of development under short day conditions.

(C) Flower bud description.--Nearly round, up to 30 mm. in diameterbefore opening, pistillated flower conical, generally with one sepalsticking out of one side, up to 18 mm. long before opening.

(D) Flowers borne.--On strong peduncles, up to 5 mm. in diameter, at thebase yellow-green 151A, toward the top infused with red, near the flowerslightly darker than orange-red 34B.

(E) Quantity.--Primary shoots at higher nodes; 1 peduncle per leaf,generally with 3 flowers. Secondary shoots generally have 1 peduncle perleaf, starting from the base, also with 3 flowers. Overall floriferous.

(F) Tepals.--(1) Shape: Nearly round. (2) Color: Top side in winter whenopening, margin of outer petals red 44D, changing to red 40D towardcenter; second set of petals, margin red 41C, changing to red 40D towardcenter; inside petals gradually changing to red 40C toward centerpetals, fading generally to red 41C; under side red 43C. (3) Number oftepals: Average of 20 on male flowers, 6 on female flowers. (4) Size oftepals: Outer petals 30 mm. in diameter, center petals being as small as12 mm. in diameter. (5) Flower size: Average of 50 mm. in diameter.

(G) Reproductive organs.--(1) Stamens: None observed to date. (2)Pistels: (a) Stigma shape: twisted, color yellow 13A. (b) Style color:Translucent green. Generally styles and stigmas are degenerated in anearly stage and are green-brown to brown. (c) Ovary: Inferior, 3 celled,3 angled, the angle extending into 3 unequal wings; color of ovary lightgreen, slightly infused with red, wings more heavily infused with red.

Disease resistance:

Under normal growing conditions for begonias Harmony exhibits excellentresistance against powdery mildew.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of begonia plant known by thecultivar name Harmony, as described and illustrated, and particularlycharacterized as to uniqueness by its large, double, light orangeflowers and dark green foliage; relatively great number of pistillatedflowers; early flowering and floriferous habit; excellent keepingquality; adaptability in a controlled environment to year roundflowering and varying pot size; sturdy, upright and compact growthhabits, and by its excellent vigor.